At least 70 dead from floods in Kenya; More rain expected over the weekend

Floods and heavy rains in Kenya have killed at least 70 people since mid-March, a government spokesman said Friday, twice as many as reported earlier this week.

The East African country has suffered weeks of heavy rains and severe flooding in the Kenyan capital Nairobi, as well as in the western and central regions of the country.

Kenyan government spokesman Isaac Mwaura on Friday refuted claims that hundreds of people have been killed in the ongoing flooding, saying the official toll now stands at 70.

Five bodies were recovered from a river in Makueni province, in the east of the country, on Friday after a truck they were traveling in was swept off a submerged bridge, local broadcaster Citizen TV reported. Another 11 were rescued.

Vice President Rigathi Gachagua said at a news briefing on Friday that the government has set aside 4 billion Kenyan shillings ($29 million) for emergency aid, but gave no further details.

More than 130,000 people are currently affected; thousands of homes have been washed away and others have been flooded. About 64 public schools in the capital were flooded and had to be closed. Roads and bridges have been damaged or destroyed.

The Kenya Meteorological Department on Friday issued a heavy rain advisory for the weekend and urged residents to be vigilant.

Other East African countries have reported flooding, killing 155 people in neighboring Tanzania and affecting more than 200,000 in Burundi.

First print: April 27, 2024 | 11:46 PM IST